Incidence of leptospirosis in the Cumberland Gap area of the U.S.

Researchers tested small wild mammals, environmental water, and livestock in the Cumberland Gap region of southeastern Appalachia for the presence of pathogenic Leptospira or leptospiral antibodies.

One hundred and one small wild mammals and eighty-nine environmental water samples were screened by a real time quantitative PCR. Sixty-two percent of the small wild animals and 2.25‹ of the water sources tested positive for leptospirosis.

Sera from 52 cattle and horses were also screened using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Thirty eight percent had antibodies to one or more serovars of pathogenic Leptospira spp.

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Evidence of Leptospiral Presence in the Cumberland Gap Region.